TfL Budget - South of the River (5)

Andrew Boff: As a result of your bus service changes, by what percentage will total bus service mileage across boroughs north of the river increase or decrease?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor’s Question 2019/12276

TfL Budget - South of the River (4)

Andrew Boff: As a result of your bus service changes, by what percentage will total bus service mileage across boroughs south of the river increase or decrease?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL) Business Plan outlines how the bus network will support London’s growth and achieve the Mayor’s 2041 target of 80 per cent of all journeys made on foot, by bike or using public transport. The plan also includes how bus service mileage will change over the next five years (see pp81, figure 23), including a split between outer London (growth of 2 per cent by 2023/24) and inner London (reduction of up to 10 per cent by 2023/24 to enable outer London growth).
Planned changes in bus service mileage is not available by borough or for north/south of the river. Changes in bus service mileage will however broadly follow population change, as the key driver of bus demand.

TfL Budget - South of the River (2)

Andrew Boff: Of all the transport infrastructure upgrades since 2016, what percentage have taken place in boroughs south of the river?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL’s) budget is not split geographically in this way. However, around a third of London’s residents live south of the river and Transport for London’s (TfL’s) spending on Surface transport broadly reflects this. As examples, Low Emission Bus Zones have been introduced between Camberwell and New Cross, at Putney High Street and at Brixton to improve air quality for thousands of south London residents. Construction is also starting this summer on Cycleway 4 to Greenwich to improve the cycling offer south of the river.
Regarding Underground services, increased frequencies on the Victoria and Jubilee lines, the bus hopper fare and the Night Tube have provided direct benefits to people living and working south of the river. Work continues to extend the Northern line in south London which will help regenerate the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea areas by supporting new jobs and homes. TfL and I are also continuing to make the case to government to allow TfL more control over suburban rail services, which would have a particularly beneficial effect for south London and could pave the way for a metro-style service in south and southeast London.

Tube crime in Havering

Keith Prince: For each of the years 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19, please provide the number of violent crimes on the Tube in Havering?

The Mayor: The below table indicates the number of violent crimes on Underground in the London Borough of Havering, broken down by year.
Havering
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
5
3
13
There are over 11 million customer station entries and exits per year within LB Havering.
Additional Info:
Violent Crime for Havering refers to Violence against the person. However, due to changes in Home Office counting rules in 2017/18 there may be some lower level offences that were categorised as Public order.

Tube crime in Redbridge

Keith Prince: For each of the years 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19, please provide the number of violent crimes on the Tube in Redbridge?

The Mayor: The below table indicates the number of violent crimes on the Underground in the London Borough of Redbridge, broken down by year.
Redbridge
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
44
56
43
There are approximately 39 million customer station entries and exits per year within LB Redbridge.

Additional Info: Violent Crime for Redbridge refers to Violence against the person. However, due to changes in Home Office counting rules in 2017/18 there may be some lower level offences that were categorised as Public order.

Using apps outside London (2)

David Kurten: Does the Mayor agree that if a taxi driver is “plying for hire” on an app, then the app is facilitating an unlawful activity when the taxi driver accepts a job outside of their licensed area, moreover, does the Mayor agree that if the app company is obtaining a brokerage fee for facilitating this unlawful activity, then the app company is benefitting from the proceeds of crime?

The Mayor: Please see my answer to Mayor'sQuestion 2019/12068.

Illegal Rickshaws

Tony Devenish: What are you doing to tackle illegal Rickshaws in and around Oxford Circus?

The Mayor: It is vital that any passenger-carrying transport service is appropriately licensed and regulated. There needs to be proper background checks on the rider and pedicab to ensure that they are safe. Regulation would allow Transport for London (TfL) to set and enforce standards of rider and pedicab safety and make it a requirement for all pedicabs to hold appropriate insurance
While I am encouraged that Government has once again indicated it would seek legislation to regulate pedicabs, TfL and I am disappointed by the lack of progress.
A private members bill to regulate pedicabs, sponsored by Paul Scully MP, was expected to have its second reading debate on Friday 11 May 2018, but an objection was raised. We are now waiting for the date of the second reading to be announced. The Government has, however, stated that, should the Pedicabs (London) Bill not become law, it will put forward its own legislation when time permits.
In the meantime, TfL will continue to work closely with the police as part of my Vision Zero Approach to reduce road danger in London and prevent all fatal and serious injury collisions by 2041.

Cab Enforcement Unit (1)

David Kurten: Does TfL fund the Met Police cab enforcement unit, if so, what was the funding total over the last three financial years?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) funds the Metropolitan Police Service’s taxi and private hire policing team within the Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC). It is not possible to provide an exact funding amount for each year as the costs for non-pay items such supplies and services cannot be split down to a unit/team level, but are budgeted for the total command. An average has therefore been included based on the total non-pay budget for the RTPC each year.
The estimated contribution for the last 3 years also includes pay, overtime and overhead costs as follows:
Financial Year
£m
2016/17
4.00
2017/18
4.04
2018/19
4.19

Active Taxi Drivers

Keith Prince: Will the Mayor put mechanisms in place to identify the number of actual active taxi drivers as opposed to licensed numbers?

The Mayor: As the regulator and licensing authority for taxi and private hire services in London, Transport for London (TfL) is charged with licensing vehicles, drivers and, in the case of private hire, operators. It then regulates these services to ensure passenger safety.
Current legislation does not provide for TfL with the powers to actively monitor taxi driver and vehicle movements – which would be the only way to confirm whether a taxi driver was actively working, as opposed to being actively licensed.